Calgary Farmers' Market opens 2nd location this Friday

Vendors at the new Calgary Farmers' Market are adding the finishing touches ahead of the northwest location's opening this week.

The market's second location, CFM West, opens to the general public on Friday. Plans for the venue nearWinSport were first unveiled in 2018.

"It has taken a ton of patience. It's taken a lot of dedication and a lot of passion from a lot of people," said Mikayla Jayne, who does marketing for the Calgary Farmers' Market.

The original Currie Barracks location closed in 2010 because more space was needed. Its new home on Blackfoot Trail opened the next year.

"Currie Barracks was that little labour of love from people who really wanted to get local into our community," Jayne said.

"And from there it just grew."

The new northwest location just made sense, Jayne said.

"We love the northwest because it really is the outpost for Calgary. It's your last stop before you head to the mountains. It's your first stop when you get home," Jayne said.

Leanna Edward is one of the vendors at the new location. She says setting up a brand new shop, Yyseafood, with her husband was a learning experience that felt like a roller-coaster at times.

"It's been exciting, lots of highs and lows. Mostly highs," she said. "This has been over a year now in the making for us."

Lindsay Wood, who works at Red Deer-based Troubled Monk, said the brewery brewed a beer specifically for the opening.

"We're just super excited to open the doors and just be a part of the community," she said.

"We're ready to go."